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miles between Northiam and the Vicarage door。 Debt was the man's
proper element； he used to skulk from arrest in the chancel of his
church； and the speed of Captain may have come sometimes handy。 At
an early age this unconventional parson married his cook； and by
her he had two daughters and one son。 One of the daughters died
unmarried； the other imitated her father； and married
'imprudently。' The son； still more gallantly continuing the
tradition； entered the army； loaded himself with debt； was forced
to sell out； took refuge in the Marines； and was lost on the Dogger
Bank in the war…ship MINOTAUR。 If he did not marry below him； like
his father； his sister； and a certain great…uncle William； it was
perhaps because he never married at all。
The second brother； Thomas； who was employed in the General Post…
Office； followed in all material points the example of Stephen；
married 'not very creditably；' and spent all the money he could lay
his hands on。 He died without issue； as did the fourth brother；
John； who was of weak intellect and feeble health； and the fifth
brother； William； whose brief career as one of Mrs。 Buckner's
satellites will fall to be considered later on。 So soon； then； as
the MINOTAUR had struck upon the Dogger Bank； Stowting and the line
of the Jenkin family fell on the shoulders of the third brother；
Charles。
Facility and self…indulgence are the family marks； facility （to
judge by these imprudent marriages） being at once their quality and
their defect； but in the case of Charles； a man of exceptional
beauty and sweetness both of face and disposition； the family fault
had quite grown to be a virtue； and we find him in consequence the
drudge and milk…cow of his relatives。 Born in 1766； Charles served
at sea in his youth； and smelt both salt water and powder。 The
Jenkins had inclined hitherto； as far as I can make out； to the
land service。 Stephen's son had been a soldier； William （fourth of
Stowting） had been an officer of the unhappy Braddock's in America；
where； by the way； he owned and afterwards sold an estate on the
James River； called； after the parental seat； of which I should
like well to hear if it still bears the name。 It was probably by
the influence of Captain Buckner； already connected with the family
by his first marriage； that Charles Jenkin turned his mind in the
direction of the navy； and it was in Buckner's own ship； the
PROTHEE； 64； that the lad made his only campaign。 It was in the
days of Rodney's war； when the PROTHEE； we read； captured two large
privateers to windward of Barbadoes； and was 'materially and
distinguishedly engaged' in both the actions with De Grasse。 While
at sea Charles kept a journal； and made strange archaic pilot…book
sketches； part plan； part elevation； some of which survive for the
amusement of posterity。 He did a good deal of surveying； so that
here we may perhaps lay our finger on the beginning of Fleeming's
education as an engineer。 What is still more strange； among the
relics of the handsome midshipman and his stay in the gun…room of
the PROTHEE； I find a code of signals graphically represented； for
all the world as it would have been done by his grandson。
On the declaration of peace； Charles； because he had suffered from
scurvy； received his mother's orders to retire； and he was not the
man to refuse a request； far less to disobey a command。 Thereupon
he turned farmer； a trade he was to practice on a large scale； and
we find him married to a Miss Schirr； a woman of some fortune； the
daughter of a London merchant。 Stephen； the not very reverend； was
still alive； galloping about the country or skulking in his
chancel。 It does not appear whether he let or sold the paternal
manor to Charles； one or other； it must have been； and the sailor…
farmer settled at Stowting； with his wife； his mother； his
unmarried sister； and his sick brother John。 Out of the six people
of whom his nearest family consisted； three were in his own house；
and two others （the horse…leeches； Stephen and Thomas） he appears
to have continued to assist with more amiability than wisdom。 He
hunted； belonged to the Yeomanry； owned famous horses； Maggie and
Lucy； the latter coveted by royalty itself。 'Lord Rokeby； his
neighbour； called him kinsman；' writes my artless chronicler； 'and
altogether life was very cheery。' At Stowting his three sons；
John； Charles； and Thomas Frewen； and his younger daughter； Anna；
were all born to him； and the reader should here be told that it is
through the report of this second Charles （born 1801） that he has
been looking on at these confused passages of family history。
In the year 1805 the ruin of the Jenkins was begun。 It was the
work of a fallacious lady already mentioned； Aunt Anne Frewen； a
sister of Mrs。 John。 Twice married； first to her cousin Charles
Frewen； clerk to the Court of Chancery； Brunswick Herald； and Usher
of the Black Rod； and secondly to Admiral Buckner； she was denied
issue in both beds； and being very rich … she died worth about
60；000L。； mostly in land … she was in perpetual quest of an heir。
The mirage of this fortune hung before successive members of the
Jenkin family until her death in 1825； when it dissolved and left
the latest Alnaschar face to face with bankruptcy。 The grandniece；
Stephen's daughter； the one who had not 'married imprudently；'
appears to have been the first； for she was taken abroad by the
golden aunt； and died in her care at Ghent in 1792。 Next she
adopted William； the youngest of the five nephews； took him abroad
with her … it seems as if that were in the formula； was shut up
with him in Paris by the Revolution； brought him back to Windsor；
and got him a place in the King's Body…Guard； where he attracted
the notice of George III。 by his proficiency in German。 In 1797；
being on guard at St。 James's Palace； William took a cold which
carried him off； and Aunt Anne was once more left heirless。
Lastly； in 1805； perhaps moved by the Admiral； who had a kindness
for his old midshipman； perhaps pleased by the good looks and the
good nature of the man himself； Mrs。 Buckner turned her eyes upon
Charles Jenkin。 He was not only to be the heir； however； he was to
be the chief hand in a somewhat wild scheme of family farming。
Mrs。 Jenkin； the mother； contributed 164 acres of land； Mrs。
Buckner； 570； some at Northiam； some farther off； Charles let one…
half of Stowting to a tenant； and threw the other and various
scattered parcels into the common enterprise； so that the whole
farm amounted to near upon a thousand acres； and was scattered over
thirty miles of country。 The ex…seaman of thirty…nine； on whose
wisdom and ubiquity the scheme depended； was to live in the
meanwhile without care or fear。 He was to check himself in
nothing； his two extravagances； valuable horses and worthless
bro